QUICK HISTORY Portugal – 1 st in slave trade Sugar plantations need lots of labor Cash crops are usually labor intensive! By 18 th Century, 9/10 slaves are working on plantations.
Europeans still going to Africa for gold Also looking for black gold. What does that mean?
Coffles
* Some ate clay * Slaves were marched from the interior of Africa to Port Cities (2 months)
BARRACCONS —n—n (formerly) a temporary place of confinement for slaves or convicts, esp those awaiting transportation [C19: from Spanish barracón, from barracahut, from Catalan
* Slaves were branded at this time
Chains 2-3 week wait before ship is full Confined below deck Suicide and uprisings most likely at this time Hot coals used to burn lips. Why? Women raped and sent below the deck again
ArrayArray Ship captains would try to get slaves with different cultures and languages ½ year away from home to new “residence” Climate Food Everything
SURVIVING THE MIDDLE PASSAGE 10% – 20% dies crossing the Atlantic Ocean
First African slaves in America brought to Jamestown in 1619 Slavery institutionalized in many states by 1640 Slaves became “chattel” property
"... each of them are natives of Africa and were born free, and ever since have been and still of right are and ought to be free and not slaves..." S. Staples, R. Baldwin, and T. Sedgewick, Proctors for the Amistad Africans, January 7, 1840
* We are more alike than different. No human is more human than another. * Maya Angelou